Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/6179
January 2010 1 O N TH E C OVE R S E E IT I N This image depicts motion paths from fl ight tunnel data along with the skeletal model of an ivory-billed woodpecker, which is believed to be extinct. The informa- tion garnered from these and other CG techniques are being used to extend ornithology research. See pg. 8. • James Cameron on Avatar. • Q&A with Lost and Mad Men editor Christopher Nelson. • High-quality audio for lower-budget indie fi lms. Features Taking Flight 8 Computer students at Cornell take up bird-watching, helping ornithologists further their research with the use of cutting-edge CG technologies. By Barbara Robertson The Tradition Lives On 16 Walt Disney Animation presents The Princess and the Frog, the studio's fi rst hand-drawn animation since 2004, only this "hand-drawn" animation received a little bit of help from computer graphics. By Barbara Robertson Playing the Open-Eyed Dream 20 Movie director James Cameron and game developer Ubisoft team up to create an interactive title based on Avatar, as teams from both the fi lm and the game collaborate on an unprecedented level. By Martin McEachern One Step at a Time 28 The animators on the most recent stop-motion production show they are, well, smart as a fox, as they incorporate touches of CGI into the movie when necessary, giving The Fantastic Mr. Fox its handcrafted look while getting the most benefi t in production. By Barbara Robertson Real Illusion 31 The late legendary crooner Frank Sinatra makes a special appearance in holographic form, thanks to a great deal of complex rotoscoping and compositing work by SquareZero. By Karen Moltenbrey COVER STORY Enhanced Content Get more from CGW. We have enhanced our magazine content with related stories and videos online at www.cgw.com. Just click on the cover of the issue (found on the left side of the Web page), and you will fi nd links to these online extras. January 2010 • Volume 33 • Number 1 I n n o v a t i o n s i n v i s u a l c o m p u t i n g f o r t h e g l o b a l D C C c o m m u n i t y 16 28 20 34 Departments Editor's Note Animation: An Extraordinary Medium 4 When we think of the word "animation," CGI comes to mind. While 2009 brought us a number of fantastic fi lms created in the medium, it also presented us with others crafted by the more traditional methods of 2D and stop motion, renewing our appreciation of animation in all forms. Spotlight 5 Products Dell's Precision M6500. Pixar Animation Studios' RenderMan 15.0. Nvidia's Quadro FX 380 LP, Quadro FX 3800M, and Quadro FX 2800M. Viewpoint 6 Procedural Randomness. xxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx Education 34 Digital content creators should continue sharpening their skills so they are ready to take the next step in their careers when opportunities become available. xx Back Products 40 Recent software and hardware releases. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx x 8